Understanding Government Shutdowns

The real problem is debt and that Democrats and Republicans do not want to ever eliminate debt.

Why not? Because their Client/Donors do not want to eliminate debt.

Here's how INVESTOPEDIA characterizes the debt ceiling:

What Is the Debt Ceiling?

The debt ceiling—also known as the debt limit—is the maximum amount of money that the United States can borrow cumulatively to meet its existing legal obligations.

The debt ceiling was created under the Second Liberty Bond Act of 1917.1

If U.S. government national debt levels bump up against the ceiling, the Treasury Department must resort to other extraordinary measures to pay government obligations and expenditures until the ceiling is raised again.

The debt ceiling has been raised or suspended numerous times over the years to avoid the worst-case scenario: a default by the U.S. government on its debt.

Key Takeaways

• The debt ceiling, or the debt limit, is the maximum amount the U.S. government can borrow to meet its legal obligations by issuing bonds.

• If the Treasury Department can't pay expenses when the debt ceiling is reached, there is a risk that the U.S. will default on its debt.

• The debt ceiling has been raised or suspended several times to avoid the risk of default.

• There have been many showdowns over the debt ceiling, some of which have led to government shutdowns.

• Shutdowns are the result of conflict between the White House and Congress, with the debt ceiling used as leverage to push budgetary agendas.

How Does the Debt Ceiling Work?

Congress had free rein over the country’s finances before the debt ceiling was created.

In 1917, the debt ceiling was created during World War I to make the federal government fiscally responsible.

Over time, the debt ceiling has been raised whenever the United States has approached the limit.

By hitting the limit and failing to pay interest payments to bondholders, the United States would be in default, lowering its credit rating and increasing the cost of its debt.

There has been controversy over whether the debt ceiling is constitutional.

According to the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, “The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law...shall not be questioned.”

The majority of democratic countries do not have a debt ceiling, making the United States one of the few exceptions.

How many more government shutdowns must the American voter suffer before someone leads Americans out government shutdowns?

Can government shutdowns be avoided? Yes government shutdowns can be avoided by raising or eliminating the debt ceiling.

But would raising the debt ceiling solve problems for voters?

No. The real problem is Democrats and Republicans not levelling with the American people about the full faith and credit of the United States government.

Dems and Repugs tell their constituents this common lie: We cannot fund what you want because our government operates on a limited budget and any appropriations must be in accordance with U.S. budget allowances and limitations.

But that's not what Dems and Repugs tell their corporate and billionaire client/donors.

Have you ever heard Dems or Repugs use the term, "inflation" in association with multi-billion, multi-trillion dollar defense contracts, military spending? Of course not.

The bi-partisan language of "inflation" is reserved for anyone seeking funding for domestic programs and policies.

THE SOLUTION

Is there a solution to this debt madness?

According to Democrats and Republicans there is no solution to the "debt crisis" other than to do a lot of belt-tightening on domestic spending to pay down the national debt.

Democrats and Republicans explain to voters that Congress cannot reduce military spending because if we spend less on the U.S. military, Russia, China, Iran and Muslims will surely attack the United States if they see a "weak America."

THEREFORE, Congress must always increase military spending or the bad, bad Russians, Chinese and Muslims will be attacking us and crawling through our bathroom windows any minute now.

The CIA literally uses black budget tax dollars to fund domestic and foreign anti-Russia, anti-China, anti-Muslim disinformation and propaganda programs and to pay so-called "journalists" to write stories that scare the living daylights out of Americans into supporting and voting for Democrats and Republicans who call for increased U.S. military spending.

The point is Democrats and Republicans use the full faith and credit of the U.S. government to fund massive, massive military spending bills, while DENYING the American people access to the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

Who is the problem and what is the solution?

The problem is old and greedy Democrats and Republicans who abuse their position of authority and office to enrich themselves by taking legal bribes from defense contractors, mega-corps, techno billionaires and illegal, unregistered foreign lobbby groups.

That's part of the problem.

One day young Americans who are sick and tired of what they seeing and experiencing will replace old and greedy Democrats and Republicans.

But when young Americans do replace the old guard, young politicians will still face the old problem of debt ceilings and the PAY GO system of U.S. budget constraints.

The reality is neither Democrats nor Republicans will ever pay off the growing $37 trillion national debt by cutting corners, austerity measures and belt-tightening.

The problem is how we fund our government.

The problem is our government should NOT be selling U.S. bonds to fund U.S. government operations and expenses.

Bankers benefit from the U.S. government selling bonds to fund the government no matter the economic ruin or prosperity.

THE SOLUTION is to stop SELLING U.S. paper and start DEPOSITING U.S. paper.

What?

THE SOLUTION is for Congress to issue a single U.S. currency instrument and deposit said instrument directly into U.S. government bank accounts at the U.S. Treasury Dept.

THE SOLUTION is for Congress to stop selling U.S. bonds to fund the U.S. government.

THE SOLUTION is for Congress to DEPOSIT a very large U.S. currency instrument into a U.S. government bank account to PAY OFF THE $37 TRILLION NATIONAL DEBT and to fund U.S. government operations, programs and expenses for four years.

I recommend Congress deposit a $75 trillion U.S. currency instrument into U.S. government accounts to finally pay off the national debt, growing deficit and fund voter-approved government programs, operations, policies and expenses until the next U.S. Presidential election.

There is no reason to pay off the national debt if Congress keeps selling U.S. bonds to fund the U.S. government.

The purpose of Congress depositing a U.S. currency instrument into U.S. government bank accounts is to stop borrowing money and paying interest on OUR OWN MONEY and to fund U.S. government operations moving forward for the next four years.

Show me a group of voters who think these are outlandish solutions to our growing national debt and deficit, and I'll show you a group of voters who will continue to suffer what we have been suffering and will continue to suffer.

Instead of the U.S. government maintaining a balance sheet of debits and credits, a ratings system is much more appropriate and preferrable.

What ratings system?

Since our new self-funding government no longer borrows money to fund government, our new government eliminated the need for a system of debits and credits to be balanced.

Instead U.S. government programs, operations and expenses could be decreased or increased depending upon voter ratings; and dependent upon your Congressperson or Senator's respect and adherence to a voter ratings system.

Recognize the fact that the Republican Party, billionaires, mega-corps and special interest groups want as few people as possible making appropriation decisions and ceratinly do not want voters having much more of a voice in our American democracy.

Billionaires, mega-corps and special interest groups love committees because they don't have to control 535 members of Congress, but just control a handful of well-appointed committee Congresspersons and Senators.

The last thing old school Democrats and Republicans want is for voters to have a much louder voice in the appropriations process under a debt-free economic system.

Old school Democrats and Republicans need a debt-based system to justify fully funding client/donor programs while DENYING voter-approved programs.

Wall St. and bankers need a debt-based system to MAKE THEIR LIVING OFF THE SWEAT AND BROW OF WE THE PEOPLE!

The last thing the rich, powerful and elite want is to eliminate this shitty debt-based system in favor of a debt-free system run by Senators and Congresspersons who do not accept PAC MONEY.

The truth is the rich, powerful and well-connected have been benefiting majestically from using the full faith and credit of the U.S. government to put guvmint dollars into their bank accounts WITHOUT regard to U.S. budget constraints and the PAY GO system that Congress puts voters through.

SP recommends keeping your eye on the ball - but whose eyes and whose ball?

It's the voters eyes and cost-of-living is the ball.

Politicians warn of inflation caused by increased domestic spending, while politicians enrich themselves by increasing government spending for their Big Donors.

Voters need to realize that any politician taking legal bribes (PAC MONEY) from billionaires, mega-corps and special interest groups will usher in AI legislation that will doom a very large part of the American workforce into extinction.

How will the individual and family survive?

The solution is to vote for candidates who will not take PAC money and who will not use their office and position of authority to enrich themselves, their donors and friends.

SP